Why an Eco-Friendly Home is the Best Choice

It’s all right to say that you would like to live in an eco-friendly home but do you know what to look for? If it’s the first time you have thought of such things, you should do some fact-finding, before spending your money.

An eco-friendly home is going to use systems which don’t sap the earth of its energies. In return, adopting these new systems will save you money in the long run so, while you’re doing your bit towards saving the planet, there’s a personal gain too.

An eco-friendly home can be achieved by adapting your own home or by building from scratch but, while the first will prove inconvenient and disruptive, the second may take as long as two years to complete. A third and very successful method is to build a new home from recycled shipping containers, which offers a cheaper home within the much shorter period of around twenty six weeks, once planning permission has been granted.

The beauty of a container-home is that it is made of corrosion-proof steel, it isn’t going to leak in and it’s invasion-proof from woodworm or vermin. Its exterior will look how you want it to look, within the regulations set by the area in which you live. The cladding used will enhance its appearance, so that it doesn’t show its inner core, making your new home blend into the local landscape and look as attractive as any other new-build.

What Systems Will My Eco-Friendly Home Have in Place?

Once you’ve decided on which approach you’re going to take, there are many installations that will make your home eco-friendly:-

Heating and Hot Water. Solar heating means taking energy from the sun and this will save on your electricity bill. There is also a system of collecting subterranean heat, which involves laying plastic tubes well underground and filling them with a mixture of anti-freeze and water. Together with a compressor, this system heats water to a welcome 50 or 60 degrees centigrade, providing heating and hot water. This system will make a huge saving on the electricity bill.
Windows. Double-glazing will help retain heat within your home and, if postioned correctly, will allow natural light to enter, again saving on your electricity bill.
Water. Grey water is water that has been used but can be used again. For example, water from your washing-machine can be recycled and used again, either for your toilet system or for watering the garden. The eco-friendly plumbing system will stop this grey water being directed to the sewerage system, helping you dramatically save on water usage. For those whose homes are installed with water meters, changing to this eco-friendly system will quickly pay for itself.
Insulation. Cavity-wall insulation will also keep your home warm, helping you save on electricity once again. The company My Space Pod, who specialises in constructing eco-friendly homes from shipping containers, use aerogel, which is capable of insulating against extreme weather temperatures.

These are only a few ideas of how a home can become eco-friendly but they clearly indicate how you are helping yourself, whilst also helping the planet. Using the recycled container method is a very good choice, since you’re starting from scratch and it’s a fast-build. Also, if you’re a busy person, My Space Pod can do all of this for you, including the official paperwork for planning permission. If you do go down this route, My Space Pod prepares your container-home offsite, which cuts down on the carbon footprint, as everything is done at their worksite. Should you be ordering more than one container, these attach together and can also be stacked via the company’s structural support systems, making modular buildings fit one’s own personal plan.